What if the roads we build could move water as freely as the peatlands they cross? That question energized the session “Minimizing the Impacts of Roads Crossing Peatlands”, where researchers and restoration specialists shared practical solutions, and a vision for smarter infrastructure.
What if we could see Canada’s peatlands, their carbon stocks, disturbances, and restoration potential, layered in a single interactive map? That vision is moving closer to reality through Can‑Peat’s rapidly expanding geospatial initiatives.
Across the Can‑Peat network, researchers are developing an impressive suite of geospatial products that will shape how Canada identifies, protects, and restores peatlands. Rather than working in isolation, these teams are building complementary maps that, together, create a powerful foundation for decision support, climate mitigation, and land‑use planning.
Peatlands store vast amounts of carbon, making them critical for mitigating climate change. However, their ability to act as carbon sinks depends on a delicate balance between carbon uptake and loss. As climate conditions shift and land use pressures increase, particularly in western Canada, there is growing uncertainty around whether these systems will continue to store carbon or begin releasing it. Understanding how peatlands respond to disturbance and hydrological change is essential for predicting their future role in the global carbon cycle and informing sustainable land management.